FRANKLIN TWP. — Voters in Franklin Township have decided they want a shift in power as they elected Democrats Sheryl Neely and Louis Gonzalez to township committee over Republican incumbent Joesph Petsch and his runningmate Jim Kelly.

While it was a close race, Gonzalez and Neely narrowly pulled out the victory on election night.

Gonzalez received 2,464 votes and Neely received 2,423 votes, compared to Kelly and Deputy Mayor Petsch, who received 2,168 votes and 2,093 votes respectively.

With Neely and Gonzalez having won the race, the Democrats now hold a 3-2 majority in the township committee. Previously, Democrat Ed Leopardi was the lone representative on the committee.

The shift in power comes after a tumultuous year of campaigning and rhetoric between the two parties.